Defector
by queenpearl
Summary: The Hunt for Red October, through the eyes of the sub herself. Rated T for future chapters.
1. Prologue

The air was chilly as it rippled across the cold waters of the bay, stirring up the sea to form small choppy waves. Snow was blown off the high mountain peaks, darkening the distant sun. The stillness was only broken by the sound of waves, lapping gently against a dark shape in the center of the bay. It moved along steadily, leaving behind a steady wake as it went.

The black coloring was blotched with snow and ice as it froze to the exposed hull. The long flat surface cut cleanly through the water, a single spike sticking up in the center of it, the sail and farther astern, that of the tall rudder. Crimson eyes, the same color as the flag currently flying from the sail, were narrowed into fine slits, focused, determined, wary.

Only officially commissioned yesterday, the ship was about to embark on the most dangerous quest any of her kind would undertake. Her eyes flickered skyward as she thought of the path that had brought her to this. She knew what she was the moment she was born. She was different than her siblings, six elder so far with more on the way. They were designed for peace and deterrence of any potential threat. She was a threat, a threat to her nation's very way of life, a threat to the world. Her soul purpose, was to cause destruction the likes of which the world has never seen.

She was a peace loving soul, this Typhoon-class Soviet submarine and the last thing she wanted was to cause a war. The crimson eyes closed as the sub sighed, considering the long journey that awaited her. Only a select few knew her plans and they were all safely onboard.

As the fleet of surface ships came to escort her out on her maiden voyage, she knew this would be the last time she'd ever she what she called home again. Though she knew that likely she'd end up on the dissecting table in a lab somewhere if she succeeded, she knew it had to be done. For peace to reign, she had die, one way or another.

The order was given to dive and the sub took one last look behind her, trying to etch the memory of the rugged coastal bay into her mind. She'd never see it with her own eyes again. Ahead of her lay 3000 miles of open ocean and likely before she was even a day out, every single one of her former comrades would be trying to hunt her down. She had six days, only six days to cross the mighty Atlantic. And each day would be filled with fear and terror as time and again the world's two largest superpowers teamed up to hunt her down. One, for revenge and the other for security. She could only hope the other would understand before they fired.

The sky disappeared as the sub slowly but surely made her way westward. Home had been left behind, the New World awaited her.


	2. Chapter 1

Red October's crimson eyes were focused keenly on the water ahead. Only she and her captain knew at this point where they were going. They weren't going up north to perform exercises with Alpha like they'd been ordered, they were going to defect. Red October was quite happy to do so if only for the reason to avoid seeing Alpha. Her comrade was an arrogant, nosy, snoddy bitch who loved to complain and loved to be a glory hound. She enjoyed sitting back and letting others do the hard, dirty work and then stab them in the back by taking all the credit. _"If anyone should be sunk," _Red October thought dryly. _"It's her."_

Yelling interrupted her musings and she turned her attention to the captain's cabin. The Political Officer had just been murdered. "Ramas, what have you done?" She whispered. "What I had to do." He replied crisply. "Where we are going, he cannot follow." She sighed. "We cannot sail without a political officer." She whispered to him. "I'm well aware of that, but we'll have to if we're gonna make it to America." He replied.

The officers were soon in on the plan and all resolved to keep their mouths shut yet Red October couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong, like someone knew something they shouldn't and were about to act on it. Her instincts were in overdrive as the realization crashed down on her. She was a rogue, an outcast, trading her crimson colors for the stars and stripes of America.

Stealth was the absolute key if she was going to survive this voyage. Shutting down her nuclear engines, she activated her caterpillar drive, a magnetohyrdodynamic drive that worked much like a jet engine, eliminating any noise whatsoever. She turned to port, her bow pointing west towards the United States. When she did, she detected another submarine. She quickly identified it as a Los Angeles class. "Dallas, you sneaky bastard." She growled. She could hear his gleeful laughter behind her. "And a good morning to you, my dear." He replied. "Don't call me that, especially not in front of the crew." She growled. "Of course not, _dear." _He replied. She rolled her eyes.

USS Dallas (SSN-700) was a feisty, short-tempered, humorous, rough, tough submarine. And he was also, Red October's mate. It was he who convinced her to defect to the American side. Red October was only too happy to comply. Things were tense enough as it was between their nations and she was certain that with her introduction into the service, someone would fire a shot. The Americans were more paranoid than the Soviets. Despite this, she was particularly happy to see him. She loved him dearly but sometimes his presence could get annoying after a while. "Where'd you get off to, I can't see you!" He cried. "That's the beauty of stealth. I'll see you in America my love." Red October replied and sailed off into the darkness, leaving Dallas confused in her wake.


	3. Chapter 2

Undersea canyons were treacherous, especially for submarines. And now that the entire Soviet fleet was after her, Red October knew that this part of the voyage had to be partaken in absolute silence. She could still sense Dallas behind her, trying to detect her but her caterpillar drive did it's job, concealing her from his presence.

Above the water, in the skies, she could detect a Soviet helicopter searching for her. About halfway through the treacherous passage, Red October's caterpillar drive failed. She was forced to use her engines. She may as well have placed a bright red target sign on her back saying "Shoot me here!" "Shit!" She swore. "Shit, shit, shit!" She increased her speed, hoping to outrun the pair of torpedoes now in the water with her. "Damn you, reds!" She shouted. Her keen eyesight could see a wall of rock up ahead. The torpedoes were designed to follow her heat signature and it was then that Red October had an idea.

She sailed on, increasing her speed as she went. 28 knots, 20 knots, 22 knots. Soon she was at top speed and the wall of rock came closer and closer and closer. She couldn't have been more than 50 yards away from it when she started to turn sharply to the right, leaving only inches to spare. Her planes actually scraped the edge of it. A loud explosion was heard mere seconds later as the pair of underwater ordinances made impact. Soon, she was clear of the formation and she dove down deep so the planes overhead couldn't detect her.

Red October's thoughts turned to Dallas. The Los Angeles class seemed as determined as ever to track her._ "I'll see you in America my love." _She thought. Captain Ramsi touched her helm gently as he stood on the bridge. "Is it time?" She asked. He nodded. "Yes." He replied. Red October nodded. "Sound the alarms, I'll bring us up to 200 feet." She ordered.

Now it was time to impliment the most dangerous part of the whole operation. The faking of her own demise.


End file.
